The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-24

was correct, and that the study of his hands in the glass was an after episode for the perfecting of the ideal. Whether by accident or otherwise, the design is very impressive one. Fa- gin was drawn from real life; ras- cally old Jew in the neighborhood of Saffron Hill; watched him for weeks, studying him." says the artist.
 Mir. Paget pays high tribute to the genius of George Cruikshank. Speak ing of him in connection with Charles Dickens, he says: "They worked cor dially hand in hand in the production of this admirable work, and neither will grudge the other his share in the fame which has justly attended their joint labors. Every time we turn over this wonderful series, we are more and more impressed with the genius that created, and the close ob- servation of human nature which de- velOped, the characteristics of OltDe,' through every phase of his career, from the memorable day when he asked for more;;' of Sikes, the house. breaker of Fagsn-from the merry old gentleman frying sausages, to the ghastly picture of abject terror which he presents in the condemned cell; of Nooh C1oypole-mark him as he lies covering under the dresser in Mrs S0werderrie's kitchen, with little Oli- cer standing triumphant over him with flashing eye and dilated nostril, and again behold him lolling in the arm- chair, whilst Charlotte feeds his gluttonous appetite with oysters; of Marlotte herself; of Mrs. Co,ney; ot the workhouse master; the paupers i; the boy thieves; Messrs. Blathers and Duf, the police officers; and the inn mortal Mf. Bdm6Ie-a character which has furnished new terms to our vocab- ulary, and the glory of which may be fairly divided between the author and the artist"
 We might quote still further but will give only the concluding para graph. "We say this in no spirit of exaggeration, but with profound conviction that no hand could have produced such works as those of George Cruikshank, which was not the index and the organ of heart deeply imbued with the finest sym pathies of humanity, and an intellect highly endowed with power of the keenest perception and the subtlest analysis"
 MT. Jerrold says: "Extraordinary op oG f,ol ,oi Cruikshank had made by his power full dramatic illustrations to Oliver Twist his illustrations to MT. Aims worth's romances, and particularly to the Tower of London and Windsor Castle,' and the 'Miser's Daughter proved that he had yet higher laurels to win. His etchings on steel show a greatly superior technical handling to his earlier work with the needle. He obtained effects which Rembrandt would not have disdained. And then he had in perfect subjection, and ready to his hand and mind, all the vast store of observation of men and things he had been indefatigably &C., cumulating from his boyhood. His plates to those three works are abso- lutely astonishing, when they are ana lyzed, for the amount of original thought for the technical skill in rendering infinite varieties of light and shade, of emotion, of scenery they comprehended."
 Thackeray eulogizes the artist: "In the supernatural we find Cruikshank reigning supreme ," We have be- fore us Chamiso's Peter Schlemihl,' with Cruikshank's designs translated into German The reader, no doubt, remembers the awful passage where the little gentleman purchases the shadow of that hero: Have the kindness, noble sir, to examine and try this bag" He put his hand into his pocket, and drew thence tolera- bly, large bag of Cordovan leather, to which a couple of thongs were fixed. I took it from him, and immediately counted out ten gold pieces, and ten more, and still another ten, whereupon l held out my hand to him. "Done," said ''it is bargain; you shall have my shadow for your bag" The bar
  gain was concluded; he knelt down before me, and I saw him with won- derful neatness take my shadow from head to foot, lightly lift it from the grass, roll and fold it up neatly, and at last pocket it. He then rose up, bowed to me once more, and walked away again, disappearing behind the rose bushes. I don't know. hut I thought heard him laughing little. I, however kept fast hold of the bag, Everything around me was bright in the sun, ana, as yet, I gave no thought to what had done.' This marvellous event. narrated by Peter, with such & faithful, circumstantial detail, is painted by Cruikshank in the most wonderful poetic way, with that happy mixture of the real and super